New Leb space crunch solution won't include middle school

Lisa Chamoff

Updated 11:38 pm, Monday, May 13, 2013

To the relief of parents, the schools chief has decided to remove the option of busing fifth-graders to Western Middle School from his list of possible solutions to a space shortage at New Lebanon School.

Superintendent of Schools William McKersie emailed the school's PTA Thursday to say that he was taking the unpopular proposal off the table.

"We now will focus on `within NL' solutions -- ideas that will keep students at NL next year," McKersie wrote in the message, which was also sent to the New Lebanon and Western principals.

Messages seeking further comment were left with McKersie Monday.

Mike Bocchino, president of New Lebanon's PTA, said parents are happy that the superintendent listened to their concerns about sending the fifth-graders to a school with older students and having them miss out on their last year at their elementary school.

"We are excited that there seems to be a superintendent who is going to be around for a while and listen to the parents and their concerns," Bocchino said. "We are very cautious because we still understand that a solution needs to be found."

Peter van Schaik, who has a daughter in fourth grade and had asked McKersie at a May 1 meeting to remove the Western solution from a list of options being considered, said he was "thrilled."

"That was a great call by him," van Schaik said. "I don't know what else will follow. We have a lot of work to do."

Based on enrollment projections, the Byram school will likely be short two classrooms next year. Other options being considered include putting up modular classrooms, collapsing sections and putting two teachers in one classroom, having mobile music and art programs, having students in the Advanced Learning and English Language Learners programs taught in their classrooms instead of being pulled out, and building new administration space at the front of the school and remodeling the existing space to make two new classrooms.

After meeting last week, parents said they think administrators should seriously explore using the school's media center as classroom space, while using the Byram Shubert Library down the street to circulate material for students.

Administrators have estimated that converting the school's media center into classroom space would cost approximately $150,000.

Parents would also like to see some sort of residency verification for every child in the school.

"It's still a process and it's still going to be a decision that's going to have to be well thought out and the best for the school and New Lebanon's future," Bocchino said. "We hope the solution is only short term and that our ultimate goal of investing in the school is one that the Board of Education will really finally take a hard look at."

The PTA has scheduled a follow-up meeting with administrators at the school on May 22.